


Kids In The Corner

by WinxSaga



Category: Fate: The Winx Saga (TV), Winx Club
Genre: Best Friends, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Love Triangle, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Slow Burn, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:35:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29318718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinxSaga/pseuds/WinxSaga
Summary: Saul nods, “specialists need all sorts of skills. And if I remember clearly Farrah you got yourself plastered once a week your first year.” His eyes twinkle as he watches her splutter.“Only because you two,” she points accusingly at the specialists, “assumed I could hold my alcohol. Forgetting I was sixteen and never had a sip till I met you.”Andreas laughs, “you make a cute drunk though.” His voice is low.
Relationships: Ben Harvey/Rose, Farah Dowling/Andreas, Farah Dowling/Saul Silva, andreas&rosalind, farrah&ben&saul&andreas, farrah&rosalind
Comments: 44
Kudos: 144





	1. Find Familiar Faces

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Flora6779](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Flora6779).



Farrah was tired. Rosalind was relentless, their lessons and training escalating every day. Not that Farrah had half so much to complain about as the other students. Her and her friends were in their twenties. Technically graduated from the school, but they stayed behind on Rosalind’s crusade. Becoming some sort of soldier teacher hybrid.

Farrah taught two lessons to mind fairies during the day, after that she attended a private lesson with Headmistress Rosalind. Now she was finding her way to the greenhouse. Their groups unofficial meeting place.

When she walks in Ben is hunched over some sort of flower, it glows yellow and purple with flecks of white in the center. His glasses are mere centimeters away from the petals.

Andreas jumps up as she walks into the room, “finally! Someone besides Ben, he’s been practically making out with that plant for thirty minutes now.” The relief shows in his blue eyes. Andreas was acting funny, again. The first time had been shortly after graduation when his plans had shifted. Instead of returning home to Erakylon to rule, he had decided to stay and help train the specialists. Allowing his advisors to continue ruling his realm in his stead.

Saul had joked he was going to miss them, but Farrah had seen the twinkle in his eye when he had looked towards her. It was something else. It had unsettled her for awhile, his mind was closed off to her. She couldn’t access it, just like Rosalind’s.

But after only a short time he had returned to being their friend. Forgetting to stare off in the distance thinking of the kingship he was shirking. This past week though, he had been acting weird in a completely different manner. He was excited to see Farrah.

It sounds crazy when she thinks it. They were friends why wouldn’t he enjoy her presence. But she was haunted by the feeling there was something more in his eyes. It didn’t help he had been distant from Saul. They were best friends after all, and even had been roommates in school. Now they give each other hard looks and a cold shoulder.

Farrah gives him a weary smile, “Rosalind was restless today. Where is Saul?”

Andreas’s face falls at the mention of the other specialist.

Ben coughs, “him and Andreas had a spat. I believe he ran...” he motions towards the barrier, “that way.”

Farrah sighs, turning on her heel to go find the other man.

“Farrah he’ll be fine,” Andreas calls after her.

She just sets her shoulders and leaves the greenhouse.

He is staring into the woods surrounding the school as she stands next to him in the dim light. “What happened?” She asks her voice soft.

His hands are in his pockets, he just shrugs as if he doesn’t know. She turns to look at him, her eyes flashing white as she uses her powers to assess is emotions. Sadness, hurt, longing.

“Andreas is distant,” he says. An attempt to clarify what she picks up on.

“I know, but he still means well.” Farrah says giving him a smile.

“I just never thought it would come to this,” Saul’s voice is filled with remorse. “Us not getting along, it’s like we have nothing in common outside the battlefield.”

Farrah puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “you’ll always have me. And Ben.” He seems to bristle under her contact, or the mention of their friend group. 

“Yeah,” he says voice hard. “We do. Let’s head back. Maybe play a game of cards before we turn in for the night.”

Farrah nods tightly, following him back to the greenhouse. Not sure what she had said to upset him. But she can feel him trying to mask it, anger and sadness blended together in him.

She hopes it has nothing to do with the change she has seen in Andreas.

Saul tries his hardest to smile for the rest of the night. Trying to forget the words Andreas had spat at him before Farrah’s arrival. He can’t remember them exactly just that he had blamed Saul for the distance between their group lately. Claiming it was his futile attempts to get into Farrah’s pants that had their group on edge. 

Not that Saul had ever tried anything, not since they were in school when he had tried to ask her out. And she had misunderstood his meaning and ended up tutoring him in runes. Since then he had just watched and waited hoping one day she would feel something too. He had no doubts she knew what he wanted, he left his emotions bare for her to sense at any time after all.

Andreas and Ben are stiff. Neither of them knowing what had brought Saul back and in such a good mood at that. After he stormed out refusing to dain his majesty with more than a sneer and jab at his title.

Farrah laughs her eyes twinkling as she takes a sip of the whiskey Andreas had pulled out. Their cards all but forgotten on the table.

“But the look on the kids faces was priceless,” Ben says. Finally finishing the story of how he had convinced the students to stop coming to the greenhouse to have sex. A couple poison Ivey vines laid over every flat surface.

“My students only ever try to steal alcohol,” Andreas says. “But I make it really hard. The key is always on me or strapped to the light in Rosalind’s office.”

Saul laughs, “you should see their faces every time he reveals the new location.”

Farrah frowns at them, “are you encouraging teen drinking?” The lilt in her voice light.

“Only if they are good enough to get the key,” Andreas says. “Think of it as rewarding them for being light on their feet and fast with their minds.”

Saul nods, “specialists need all sorts of skills. And if I remember clearly Farrah you got yourself plastered once a week your first year.” His eyes twinkle as he watches her splutter.

“Only because you two,” she points accusingly at the specialists, “assumed I could hold my alcohol. Forgetting I was sixteen and never had a sip till I met you.”

Andreas laughs, “you make a cute drunk though.” His voice is low.

Farrah clears her throat uncomfortably, “anyways, I better head off to sleep.”

Saul groans, “come on Farrah there’s no classes tomorrow.” He basically pouts at her.

“One more drink?” Andreas asks.

“Fine,” she says, “but only one more.”

Andreas pours them one more drink. His eyes glued to Farrah, Saul can feel the anger rise up in him. He squashes it down, knowing he has no right to be jealous or protective of Farrah. She’s her own woman and can make her own decisions.

Her eyes dart between the specialists. “After another thought Rosalind wanted to see me in the morning. So I best be off.”

Saul can see the worry in her eyes as she looks at him and then Andreas. “See you boys tomorrow.” She gives Ben a quick kiss on top of his head, “tell Rose hello for me.”

Andreas and Saul both stare after her as she leaves. After a second Saul puts his glass down. While Andreas tips his head back taking the whiskey as a shot.

“I’ll be leaving too,” he says after putting his empty glass down.

“Not so fast,” Ben scolds. His tone catching both the other men off guard. “I know what’s happening here and it’s not good. You need to give her space and stop fighting.” He levels then both with a hard stare his eyes boring through them. “If you can’t be friends and have feelings for the same girl maybe you should talk it out.”

Saul gulps, “Farrah? No, definitely not.” His lie sounds flat to his own ears.

“What he said,” Andreas says voice hard and commanding. “I’ve got to go.” He leaves without another word.

Saul stands up and starts to help Ben clear everything away. “It’s not so bad.” His voice sounds weak. Ben just pats him on the shoulder.

“If it’s any consolation I believe all you’d have to do is ask and she’d give it a shot,” Ben offers him a soft smile.

“Yeah, if I believed that it still wouldn’t change the fact Andreas’s feelings are on the line as well. And even if he’s being a jerk right now, he’s still my friend.” Saul can hear the sadness in his own voice. He knows he wants Farrah, but at what cost. Their friendship. Andreas. Not to mention Rosalind who has been giving Saul disapproving looks every time she sees him. Ever since Andreas had joked about him having the hots for her favorite fairy.


	2. feel a little warmer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andreas decides to ask Farrah out, but is interrupted by Saul and his drama.  
> A teenager believes Saul is in love with her, and Farrah is expected to talk sense into her.

Andreas wakes up the next morning with only one thing in his mind. He is going to get Farrah to talk to him today. Alone. So he can ask her on a date, he knows dating on the campus will be awkward as they aren’t students. But he can make her a decent meal in his suite.

The suites for the teachers are like apartments with fully set kitchens. So they don’t have to mingle with their students in the cafeteria. It allows for smoother separation between student and teacher. Something which had been hard for the rag tag group of friends as Rosalind’s favorites. Not that she preferred Saul and Ben. She stuck with them as he and Farrah liked them. And they worked well as a unit, Andreas always knew what to expect from Saul. Especially in the heat of battle.

That was something that hadn’t even faded during their spat over Farrah. He can feel it radiate off his friend whenever he is around. Saul feels betrayed as he has been into Farrah since they were first years. But as far as Andreas is concerned any claim he had to her had vanished after seven years of longing full stares.

His feet carry him to her door. He holds two coffees he had prepared in his hands. The one thing he knew about Farrah is she had up to four cups every morning, especially if Rosalind was meeting with her on the weekends.

Her door swings open as he arrives. His eyes narrow slightly as Saul walks out, his hands in his pockets.

“Andreas,” he nods at his friend. “There is a bit of an emergency in there. Magic help you.” 

Andreas gives him a tight smile, “good morning to you as well.”

Saul gives him a small smile, “I swung by to ask advice on Claire. She showed up drunk at my cabin last night.”

Andreas’s stance softens, “that had to suck. Sorry.” The words tastes bad in his mouth, a side affect of fighting with him for so long.

“Yeah, I brought her here to have a talk with Farrah,” Saul’s hand rubs the back of his neck. His eyes twinkle from the softness in Andreas’s face. “A woman’s advice and all that.”

Andreas nods, “hopefully they can work something out.”

Saul nods, “I’ll head out. Don’t want her thinking I care enough to stick around. Especially not after having her sleep on my couch.”

Andreas nods, deciding to wait until Farrah is done. Students having crushes on their group was very common place, as they were in their early twenties unlike all the other teachers. But Saul had managed to make a slightly psycho earth fairy fall for him. She had used her powers to pin him to a tree and make him listen to her confession of love once.

Even threw herself at him. She was unstable and actually thought he loved her back. Wrapped up in the delusion he was holding back his feelings cause she was a student.

Andreas waits, with both coffees. Taking a few sips of his as he waits. The interaction with Saul hadn’t been bad, maybe they could work through this.

Farrah sighs. Claire was being as difficult as she could manage. “You have to know why he can’t date you.” She finally says, rubbing her temples.

The copper haired fairy just smiles, “your rules can’t stop our feelings.”

“He brought you here for a reason.” Her tone is hard.

“Then why would he lead me on,” her voice is low. “He wants me. I can feel it.”

Farrah turns on her powers, sensing the girl’s emotions. She is confused, her memories from the other night flood into the mind fairies head.

Claire stumbles towards Saul’s cabin. She is tipsy and keeps nearly falling over her feet. She knocks on his door using it to support some of her weight.

“What are ‘you’ doing here?” Saul’s voice comes from behind her. He has just come from the greenhouse, his face is filled with annoyance at seeing the seventeen year old fairy.

“I came to see you,” she smirks. “My friends dared me to kiss you.”

“Go back,” he says. Stepping towards his door. He slides her to the side so he can unlock it. Farrah can feel the girls arm tingle where he makes contact. Her whole body heating up.

“Silva,” she basically moans. The older man looking at her with shock.

“Claire. No.” His voice is hard commanding, making the heat build faster.

She runs her hand down his arm, “no one has to know.” She whispers it, it’s too dark outside to see the look in his eyes. 

Claire practically jumps on him, crushing her mouth into his. She wiggles up against him, slotting his thigh between her legs to relieve some of the pressure. She rubs against him.

“Claire,” he scolds trying to untangle her from his body. She feels a bulge form in his pants, unwillingly he claims. Her hand glides down palming him.

He groans, his face looks pained. “Stop.” He pushes her hard away from him. And she tumbles back falling gracelessly onto her behind. Tears start flowing down her face.

“I’m sorry. I just... just love you so much.” She whimpers.

Saul sighs, rubbing a hand through his hair. He kneels beside her in the dirt, “Claire, sometimes it sucks. You care about people but they don’t return those feelings. If you keep pushing yourself on them you will regret it and push them away.”

She looks up at him with big wet eyes. “So why are you pushing me away?”

“You are seventeen and my student. I have no romantic feelings for you.” He sounds exasperated like he had memorized the line. 

Claire shakes her head at him, “I don’t believe you.”

Farrah looks at the girl sat before her. “This is a serious offense Claire. You could get kicked out of the school for assaulting professor Silva.”

The girl smiles, “then we could be together.”

Farrah shakes her head, “he would lose his job, his life’s work. Do you really want that?”

Claire shakes her head, “I just want to be with him.”

“Don’t you think you should make a sacrifice here. Your guys chance at something so he can be happy? He’ll be so grateful when you graduate he might even consider it.”

Claire sits forward in her seat, “you’re saying I should make a sacrifice for him because I love him?” Her eyes twinkle.

“Exactly,” Farrah’s eyes twinkle. “He needs to work right now. Without Alfea he has no home, no family.”

Claire nods, “thanks professor Dowling. I’m going to go talk to my friends now.”

She jumps up and rushes out of Farrah’s suite. Without a single glance behind her.

Farrah just stares after her, catching Andreas’s eyes as he stands out in the hall. Two coffees clutched in his hands.

She gives him a soft smile as she goes to greet him. “Andreas.”

He hands her a coffee that has gone warm during his wait. She takes a grateful sip.

“Good morning Farrah,” he smiles at her.

“Thank you so much for the coffee,” she says giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry I’ve got to run but I’m late to meet Rosalind and Saul is going to make me lunch as a thank you.”

With that her feet carry her away. Practically running, her mind still rushing with the images of Saul’s pupils blown wide from desire, the feel of him in her hand. She shoves it down, it had been the look he gave a teen girl he didn’t want. Hopefully. That’s what she planned on investigating at lunch. Her glimpse into the girls mind leaving her with more questions.

Not to mention the long gaze she felt from Andreas as she ran down the hall. Her life was getting ever so more complicated.


	3. we don’t look like you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farrah and Saul discuss Claire.
> 
> Andreas regrets pushing Saul so far away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks for reading this far.  
> If you want to see anything feel free to ask!  
> I have a very small bullet list for this story.
> 
> Sorry this chapter is small, it’s just to help set up the story some more.

Farrah knocks lightly on Saul’s cabin door before walking in. She freezes at the sight before her. He has made grilled cheese, simple but one of her favorites.

She gives him a soft smile as he motions for her to sit down. “We need to talk.” Is all he says as he waits for her to take a seat.

“What about?” She asks, carefully nibbling on the sandwich.

“Claire,” his eyes look pained. “I’m assuming you got a glance at what happened last night.”

Farrah nods, putting the sandwich down, her stomach turning over.

“It looked bad didn’t it,” he asks running a hand over his face. He had forgotten to shave and his stubble looks nice, she kicks herself mentally for focusing on the wrong things.

“It looked awkwardly like you were... into her.” Farrah lets out. She had given it as little thought as she could around Rosalind, worried the older fairy would ask her what was troubling her. So she hadn’t had time to pick through all her thoughts and decide what she wanted to share with him.

“I am most definitely not,” Saul says voice hard. “I don’t know what was wrong with me. But I was drunk and she was...” his voice trails off. She can feel it roll off him. Warm, there. A small imperceptible thought almost stray shared he hadn’t wanted her but someone else to be at his door. Farrah shoves that thought away, not wanting to encroach on his privacy anymore than she already had.

“I see,” she says. The situation awkward, the air thick with their silence.

“I just wanted you to know I am not encouraging this. I don’t know why it’s getting worse. It started off as a harmless crush, all she ever did was watch me train the specialists while she did her homework. And have terribly awkward interactions.” His face is scrunched up. “I don’t know what it is, but I get the feeling something else is going on.”

Farrah furrows her brows, “what do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugs. “It’s just a feeling. Like she’s on a mission.”

Andreas found the girl while she’s walking through the halls. He motioned for her to follow him, “it’s not so funny anymore. You more than earned your whiskey.”

She laughs at him, “I’ve got a better offer now. Someone else caught onto you paying me off and they are better negotiators.”

“Claire,” he warns. “Remember who I am.”

“A king of a land far away. Right now I’m getting more out of this, and I get to have my hands all over him,” she says it with a smirk. Like she enjoys messing with Saul’s future. “Sometimes pranks morph into sabotage. But at least people like me can get some pleasure from it.” She turns on her heel and walks away.

Andreas stares after her dumbfounded. It had been a harmless confession of love he had bargained for, make Saul squirm and have bigger things on his plate. Just to give him time to get Farrah to look at him. Something she seldom did.

Now it had avalanched. He needed to know who was pulling the girls strings. It had to be someone who gave her a big enough head to actually show up at Saul’s door in the middle of the night, plastered at that.


	4. we’re the only ones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farrah gets an invitation to a wedding, Rosalind makes Andreas her plus one.
> 
> Andreas decides to talk it out with Saul.

Farrah was back in Rosalind’s office. It was time for her next lesson. 

She only got Sunday’s completely to herself these days. She would generally use them to catch up on her reading or spend time with her friends. Those of the female variety, as she saw Rose and Samara less often.

Rosalind swings open the door, she looks upset like she just left a heated arguement.

“Thank the heavens!” She says her voice a huff. “A sensible adult after hours of man children and little brats.” Her eyes look deeper set in her face, dark circles bruised under them.

“Are you alright Headmistress Rosalind?” Farrah asks.

“Tsk tsk. Just Rosalind to you Farrah dear,” she attempts to give the younger woman a smile. As she begins shifting papers at her desk.

“No one in this school can do anything right. It’s like they all want to screw me over to get their futile wants. If another person does something moronic for desire I swear I’ll commit suicide and take the barrier with me.” She lifts up a small envelope. “There it is!”

Farrah squints at the gold seal, “what is it?”

“You remember Luna?”

How could Farrah forget the snobby dutchess she had roomed with. Luna had made it her goal to pick apart everything about Farrah from her grades to her clothes. She just nods to Rosalind.

“Well that snot nosed girl has sent me an invitation to her wedding. She is marrying King Radius of Solaria.”

Farrah nods, of course she would find a way to advance status. It wasn’t enough to be a dutchess and own most of an entire realm. She had to have it all.

“Sadly I’ll be busy. But as she donates a hefty sum to the school every year someone will have to go. I’ve decided it’ll be you and Andreas. Who better to represent me than my best students.” Rosalind’s voice emphasizes the word best. It’s on ongoing battle between the women, whether Farrah is more powerful than Ben or Andreas more skilled than Saul.

“Yes, headmistress.” Farrah tries to keep the annoyance from her voice. Failing miserably based off the look Rosalind gives her.

Andreas is not happy to be doing this, he never apologizes never admits he was wrong. But he can’t back out now, he’s already at Saul’s cabin. Already texted Farrah and Ben so they know to come mediate. He is walking in a tight circle, waiting for his friends.

He hadn’t told them why he needed them just where he needed them. But as Farrah and Ben always were the best of their group he had no doubts they would come. If only to side with Saul after he shared what he was about to.

“Andreas,” her voice is soft. The kind of soft that only ever spoke of strength. Strength he had always needed.

“Farrah,” he stops pacing to look at her. She looks worried, keeping a good six foot distance between them. Something she unknowingly learned from him, when he had spat it at her after a battle. One where she had let someone she didn’t know wasn’t a threat up close. She had almost died that day. If he and Saul hadn’t been there who knows what would have happened to the mind fairy.

“Is everything alright?” She asks. Taking a timid step closer. It hurts a little. That his distant behavior to Saul had created doubts on her mind. Like she almost doesn’t recognize him. But it’s his own pride after all. They are only connected through Rosalind. Or else she would never stick with a brute, and he would never have given her soft beauty another glance. But after knowing her, seeing her strength her power. He had decided she was beautiful and he couldn’t not have her.

“I did something bad,” he rubs a hand through his hair. “I started something and it’s out of control. I don’t know what to do.”

He can feel her try to look at his emotions, but he keeps the wall up. Knowing once it’s down it will be permanently. Rosalind had taught him that. Your brain creates neuron paths every time it does something, usually you have to repeat it hundreds of times to create a new path. But with magic involved it only took one. So essentially letting Farrah in his head once would always give her a back door. One she could just kick down. He wasn’t ready for that. Not like Saul.

“It will be okay,” she offers him a smile. Letting him know it’s alright he’s keeping his emotions away from her. “We’ll get through whatever it is together.”

Andreas nods, glad to see Ben making his way down the hill.

“What’s going on?” Ben asks once he arrives.

“I don’t know,” Farrah offers at Andreas’s silence.

“I have an apology to give and a request to make.” His voice is low, his head bowed. He feel Farrah project positive emotions his way, but he ignores them. Instead he turns to Saul’s door. Glad they hadn’t alerted him to their presence. His friends had been smart enough not to message him that Andreas had contacted them in a new group chat, without him.

He knocks on the door, his friends standing behind him. Saul opens the door a few moments later, his hair wet from taking a shower. The tv on in the background.

“Andreas,” his eyes land on the people behind him. “Farrah, Ben. What did I do to warrant an intervention.”

“It’s an apology,” Andreas says. “We need to talk. About Claire.”

Saul’s eyes go wide, anger and confusion fighting for dominance behind his eyes. Andreas can tell he suspected something was up. Hopefully they can work together to fix Andreas’s mishap.

“Come on in,” Saul says. Stepping to the side to usher his three closest friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this far!  
> If there’s anything you’d like to see in this story feel free to ask!


	5. ones who knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andreas and Saul talk through Claire.  
> The group starts working on a plan.  
> Farrah, Rose, and Samara start working on the wedding.

Saul starts brewing coffee after they have all had a seat. Except Andreas who is pacing around the room, his eyes darting around.

“I assume it’s going to be a long night,” Saul says pulling four mugs down from the cabinet. He made sure he had enough for their friend group whenever they came over.

“I did something bad,” Andreas says. His feet stopping as he watches Saul’s face.

The other man shrugs doing his best to keep a straight face. “You said it had to do with Claire.” His voice sounds stiff, he can’t help it. If Andreas had told her he’d be drunk that night he might have to throw punches. If he had actually been plastered he might have done something he’d regret.

“It’s my fault it’s gotten this bad,” Andreas looks at the ground like he can’t look into Saul’s eyes. “I encouraged her to make a proclamation of love, as a harmless joke. I have her whiskey for it.”

Saul’s fists ball, “did you tell her to do anything else?” His voice is low, he feels the anger building in his chest.

Farrah projects calmness over him, he pushes it away. He always let her have her way, now he needs to feel for himself. If Andreas did what he thinks their group would shatter and Saul might not care.

“No, I swear just to make feel like she was getting worse. I did it to watch your feathers rustle.” He looks up to meet Saul’s eyes, “I swear nothing else.”

“Then why did she jump me? Try to get me to have sex with her?” He feels the anger radiate off himself, can see Farrah flinch at the power of his emotion. “She came here drunk, me not far from it. And put her hands all over me! She never acted like that before.”

Andreas’s face falls, “so that’s what she meant.”

“Who?” Farrah asks, hoping her intervention might calm Saul down.

“Claire,” Andreas says looking back to the ground. “I told her to stop this morning. And she told me she had made a better deal with someone else. And she could have her hands all over you.”

Saul’s face drops. The anger fading into confusion and sadness. Mostly self hatred for what he had almost allowed to happen. Drunk or not he couldn’t stand the idea.

“Who?” Saul asks.

“I don’t know,” Andreas says starting to pace again. “She wouldn’t say. Just said that it was a better deal.”

Ben stands up from the armchair he had sat silently in. “Well isn’t it a good thing we’re all in the know. Now we can work better. I know Rose is close to Claire, I’ll get her to talk with her.” He straightens his tie. “ ow maybe we should address why we felt the need to make Saul’s little stalker feel empowered.”

Farrah bites her lip, watching Saul and Andreas stare into each other’s eyes. 

“Just a practical joke,” Saul spits. “We do it all the time.”

Andreas gives him a sad hopeful look. “Maybe not anymore?”

Saul nods stiffly, “now let’s figure out who she’s made a deal with.”

Saul has the best tactical mind of the four. Something Andreas had reluctantly admitted years ago. The fact is he cant fully determine why Saul isn’t Rosalind’s favorite. He has better control and can make more intricate plans sound simple and direct. A born leader. Something Andreas envied, as he had been running away from ruling his entire life.

The news of the wedding made all Farrah’s female friends excited. Samara was thrilled to learn she was going with Andreas, as she had determined that Farrah should have a thing for him. Something Farrah had disagreed with vehemently. Protesting that any attempt at a relationship would put her friendships in jeopardy.

“Well you’d still have me an Rose,” the redhead says. “Aren’t we enough for you?” Her tone light.

Rose rolled her eyes, “you know Saul is her best friend.”

Farrah sighs at their antics, “I don’t have a best friend.”

Rose raises an eyebrow, “you have always been better at getting along with men. Anyways Ben assured me that you guys have a closer connection than the rest of your little group.”

“Ben just says that because we both pick on him about you,” Farrah says. “He’s smitten.”

Rose grins. “So is Saul with you.”

Samara frowns tossing a random article of clothing at the earth fairy. “No more debates about who she should bang.”

“Samara!” Farrah scolds.

“Well after last time we agreed no more team Andreas or team Saul gear. Not after you burned the shirts we made.”

Rose laughs, “yeah, we spent hours on that crap and you basically ripped them off our backs.”

Farrah rolls her eyes, “anyways what do I have to wear to a royal wedding? Like how fancy? Is there a theme?”

“Shopping!” Rose squeals.


	6. in the dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saul gives Farrah a gift.
> 
> Farrah attends the wedding getting tipsy to ignore Luna’s comments.
> 
> Andreas is baffled by how beautiful Farrah is, doing his best to convince her of it too.

Farrah was never one to get dolled up or anything of the sort. She hadn’t been on a date since she was seventeen, and her closest friends were three guys. So naturally she was excited about her dress. As she saw it the dress was the only upside to attending Luna’s wedding. The dreadful woman would probably harass her about still being single, throw a jab in about teachers, and ask her how Saul was doing. 

Luna had been terrible in school. The only guy she hadn’t managed to get to sleep with her had been Saul, something she was still bitter about. She had created a conspiracy that Farrah had told him she had STD’s or something along those lines.

The dress is a deep blue, it hugs her chest and waist. A slit up to mid thigh is the only thing making it where she can walk. Rose had found her a pair of gold flats at the bottom of her closet. Samara is smiling wide as she holds some of Farrah’s hair up.

“How about that?” The redhead is holding a few pins in her hands if the mind fairy nods.

There is a soft knock on the door. Rose jumps up, “I’ll get it.”

Farrah watches in the mirror as Rose opens the door to usher in Saul. His blue eyes bore into her, his pupils blown wide. Samara drops Farrah’s hair as she starts to turn around.

“What do you think?” She asks. Giving him a quick twirl, elated to be wearing something so beautiful.

Saul opens his mouth and nothing comes out instead he gives her a tight smile, followed by an awkward laugh. “You look good Farrah.”

She smiles brightly at him. Her eyes catching on the small box he holds. It’s a cardboard box, that fits in his hand perfectly. “Here,” he says holding it out to her.

She takes it gingerly, lifting the lid. A small gasp escapes her lips when her eyes find the delicate gold chain. A small piece of blue sea glass is attached by golden wire.

Farrah’s eyes look up quickly to meet his.

Saul rubs the back of his neck, “I never see you wear jewelry. I thought you might like something for the wedding, and it was just lying around.”

“I can’t Saul,” she says voice low. Offering the box back to him.

He shakes his head, “you don’t have to wear it to the wedding. But keep it. Women need jewelry and it’s getting no use at my place.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs. Before pulling him into a tight hug, he wraps his arms around her. His stubble scrapping her cheek. She can hear his heartbeat, pounding away in his chest.

“You’re welcome, Farrah.”

Samara takes the box out of her clutch, as she pulls away from Saul. In mere moments the other woman has the necklace clasped around her neck. Saul’s eyes watch as Farrah’s hands run across the small chain, her eyes sparkling from tears she tries to keep away.

She knows the story behind the necklace. It had been his mother’s, his dad and her were both specialists. He had been away from her fighting Burned Ones while she was pregnant. When he came back he brought a small piece of sea glass, that he had found while injured. Hoping that someone would find him, his whole group had been wiped out the last breath of his fairy partner had been to kill the Burned One. He had saw the flint of the glass and held it in his hand, it was the same color as her eyes. It was the only thing Saul had of either parent.

Farrah hadn’t taken the necklace off for the two days before the wedding. She is excited as she waits for her friends to come help her with hair and makeup. It’s a Friday so Samara had to finish up her classes, leaving Saul with the training of the specialists. While Rose had to wrap up her lessons. It was going to be an all night event. Luna had to make it the first ever night time event for the kingdom of light.

Samara swings up the door to her suite, a smile on her face a fistful of golden pins in her hand. “Let’s get you ready.” 

She sits down next to Farrah running the brush through her soft curls. “Andreas looks happy. I saw his suit, it’s nice.” There is a twinkle in her eye, as she reminisces about what ever she had seen.

“He is available,” Farrah teases.

“Ewwww,” Samara says scrunching up her face. “Anyways he only has eyes for you.”

Farrah rolls her eyes, just as Rose practically kicks the door down her arms full of cosmetics. She had said she would bring everything in case Farrah didn’t have everything.

Both the women sitting down roll their eyes as the earth fairy fumbles into the room.

Farrah tries not to stare, Andreas is wearing a charcoal suit. It hugs his muscles while being lose enough to allow for proper movement.

“You are beautiful,” he whispers in her ear. Offering her his hand to pull her out of the car Luna had sent for them.

Farrah tries not to shiver, her hand resting on the necklace Saul had given her. Andreas’s eyes see the glass, before narrowing slightly. “We best hurry, before the good seats are taken.”

The ceremony is beautiful. The light Magic’s of the entire court are at full display at night in the dark. Something Farrah is sad Luna was the first to catch on to. It would give her a bigger head than she already had.

Now the party was in full swing, an open bar and dance floor making all the adults act like teenagers. Farrah is sitting at the bar, nursing a champagne flute. Andreas finds her taking a seat by her side. He orders ten shots.

Farrah raises an eyebrow at him, “all for you? Or did you find someone?”

He smirks at her, “I’m not looking. Not when I have such a beautiful date.” He slides her four of them, before downing three of his in a row.

She eyes the shots warily, “you don’t need to pity me. I’m just hiding from Luna.”

“At these events it’s best to not pity the prettiest girl in the room,” he says voice gruff. He takes another shot.

“Don’t let the bride hear you say that.” Farrah jokes.

“Hear what?” Luna asks coming up behind them. “Oh, never mind I’m just glad you guys could make it.” Her voice is high but her eyes are flat. “You look so good Farrah!”

“You’re ceremony was wonderful!” Farrah says, smiling. “And I’ve never seen you look better, or anyone for that matter.” The light fairy pulls her into a quick hug.

“You have changed so much since school. You are softer I like it,” Luna offers. Something hidden in her voice. Farrah feels her feathers ruffle, trying to push the weight joke aside.

“Farrah gets more beautiful with age,” Andreas says nodding to the shots before Farrah.

In one deft move she takes three in a row, a buzz building in her head. “Just like you.” She directs at Luna.

“Well I best be off to thank the rest of my guests. You two have fun.” Luna saunters away a smirk on her lips.

Farrah turns to Andreas her mouth hung open, “can you believe her?!”

He just smiles, “another round?”

Farrah’s mind is buzzing. She can barely stand up straight,she stumbles using Andreas to keep upright.

“You are so funny,” she laughs. Bracing herself against the wall. They had left the buzz of the party behind, now alone in a dark hallway.

“How so?” He asks, cheeks flushed from alcohol.

“You keep saying I’m,” she hiccups, “beeeeauutiful.”

He smiles crowding into her space. She can smell the whiskey on his breath. Warmth radiating off his body towards hers.

“You are,” he whispers. His presses hot open mouthed kisses to her neck. Slotting his thigh between her legs.

She moans, gripping the lapels of his jacket. “Andreas,” her voice is soft. His erection is hard against her stomach, as he moves his mouth on top of hers.

He licks at her lips asking for entrance, she gives in tasting the whiskey in his mouth. She rocks her hips, rubbing into his thigh. He moans, running his hands up and down her waist. Brushing against her boob, before hitching her dress up. Revealing her thighs and panties.

Her hands skim down to undo his belt pulling his hips into hers. He grinds into her, soaking her panties.

She moans while releasing his cock from his boxers. Her legs wrap around him as he lifts her up, back pressed against the wall. He pulls her mouth back to his kissing her as he shifts her panties to the side to line himself up. He plunges his tongue back into her mouth as he thrusts his hips forward.

Andreas lets out a moan as she stretches around him, he sets a slow pace. She pushes her hips forward, in time with him. Her hands grip tight into his hair as he pounds into her.

“Farrah,” he pants. His hands going clasped to her waist and thighs as he holds her against him.

He comes into her, biting his lip. She comes around him with a gasp. He pulls her into another quick kiss. “You. Are so beautiful.” He whispers into her ear, his breath hot.


	7. our eyes still shine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farrah wakes up hungover and has to decide what to do next.  
> Saul is upset to learn about Andreas and Farrah’s entanglement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few people are expressing that they aren’t the biggest fans of Andreas/Farrah. I just wanted to put out there that this is Saul/Farrah endgame. As they are my otp for this show.  
> :)

Farrah wakes up, her temples pounding from the copious amounts of alcohol she had consumed. She glances around the room, trying to figure out where she is at. She is relieved to find herself lying on the couch in her suite, a glass of water and aspirin sat next to her on the coffee table. She downs them. Hoping the pounding in her head will fade.

There is a note scrawled in her own handwriting sat next to the water glass. She picks it up eyes scanning it, ‘you stupid slut’ is scrawled in a half drunk slurr. A gasp escaping her lips as the memories from the night before flood back in. She squeezes her eyes shut, trying to forget the taste of Andreas’s mouth on hers. The feel of him under her hands.

She feels sick. He was her friend, anything they did could ruin everything. Was it worth it, for a relationship that probably wouldn’t last through their early twenties. Would it be worth losing Ben and Saul. Her drunk self had apparently known. She hadn’t intended to build something with him, stupid slut after all she thinks rubbing her temples.

Did she like Andreas? Or was he just... warm and there. The words echo through her head. The ones Saul had thought, her hand absently finds and clutches the glass around her neck. What would Saul and Ben think if they knew she had sex with Andreas. Would they hate her? Would they blame her if she stopped talking with him?

She stares at the note again, before ripping it to shreds. No one has to know. Andreas probably doesn’t remember. He had way more to drink than her after all.

The door swings open, issuing in her two female friends.

“Tell me everything!” Rose all but shouts.

Farrah winces, doing her best to shove the ripped up note under the table. Samara catches the look on her face.

“Hung over?” The redhead asks.

“Severely,” Farrah mumbles. Trying to forget everything so she wouldn’t have to lie to her friends.

Andreas is smiling when he enters the greenhouse. It’s enough to set Saul on edge. “Enjoy your night?” He asks, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice. He had seen Farrah in her dress, he knew the view had been wonderful.

Andreas nods, “everything is coming together. I think we can even put this spat behind us as she has obviously made her choice.” He is direct looking Saul in the eyes.

“What do you mean?” Saul furrows his eyebrows, tightening his hands on the trowel he was using to turn over some dirt for Ben.

“Well she was wonderful, and tastes like sunlight.” He sounds happy, Andreas hadn’t been in a better mood in years.

Saul’s heart breaks, it feels like a giant wave crashes over him. Pulling him under frigid water, his body is as heavy as lead. Keeping him under the crashing water.

He always guessed she tasted like sunshine, everything about her was soft and tender. Even her strength was like when a tree grows pushing everything away gently. The comparison to sunlight hurts like a knife in the back. Reminding Saul of when he had told Andreas he liked Farrah, he had said she looked like the sun and probably tasted the same.

Saul just drops the trowel he is holding, giving his friend a tight smile. “At least she picked. We can put all of this behind us.”

Andreas seems to fall down from whatever high he was on, as if realizing that Saul actually wanted her to. Reminding him of everything they had been through together. He gives his friend a soft smile. “I’m sorry mate.”

“I can be both happy for you and sad for myself,” Saul says giving him a stiff nod. “I best head off. I have things to do.” With that he leaves the greenhouse in the dust. Making his way to the cabin, it’s his place of solitude.

Farrah is leaning into Samara’s arms, tears streaking down her face. The redhead is rubbing circles into her back, while Rose brews coffee for her hangover.

“I just don’t know what to do,” she says. Her chest feels constricted. She wasn’t in love with Andreas, she knew that but could she fall in love with him. Could she forget the twinkle in Saul’s eyes when he gave her his mother’s necklace.

Samara gives her a sad smile, “Farrah you don’t have to be with him. Unless you want to. We live in the modern world. So what, you got frisky while drunk at a party. Half the student body did last night.”

Farrah shakes her head, “not with their friends. Not when one of their other close friends might also like them.”

“It’s a mess,” Rose says standing in the door way. “But at the end of the day. You are a strong woman and get to pick for yourself. They can hash it out however they want but it’s you who decides.”

Samara nods, “we will back you up as well. Even if I have to beat them on their ass’s in front of our students.”

Farrah smiles at the red haired specialist, “what if I don’t pick?”

Rose rolls her eyes, “the same as before. If they are to pigheaded to see you don’t want to date either of them. Tell them to talk to us.”

Farrah wipes a stray tear from her cheek, her head is still ringing. “But a slept with him.” Her voice is hushed, “I can’t just reject him.”

Samara clicks her tongue, “like Andreas didn’t do that to half a dozen girls in school?”

Farrah looks at her friends, “I just don’t know what I want.”

“Do you believe that,” Samara asks. Her eyes are on the necklace Farrah is clutching between her fingers. “With the waters this muddied maybe you should talk it out some more with them both. Or test them so to say.”

Farrah shakes her head, “I’ve made a big enough mess of this. I’m just going to pretend I forgot.”

Rose raises an eyebrow, “that might cause more problems, Farrah. You’ve never been one to run away from a difficult situation.”

“I’ve never made such a mess before,” she says.

Saul walks right past his cabin, his feet carrying him straight into the woods. His mind is wandering. She had picked Andreas.

The other specialist had always been better at expressing what he wanted, better at romancing. She had probably fallen for his charm as soon as he had an excuse to lay it on thick. Fallen into his arms and kissed him, who knows how far it had gone after that.

The woods help to clear his thoughts, refocusing him. His comfort levels out in the trees had led to him requesting the cabin. He feels safe out away from the school, having grown up practically alone. He knew how to traverse the woods, a valuable skill he was trying to transfer to the specialists he taught.

A twig snaps to his left. The sound jerking him out of his thoughts. His hand teaches for his sword when he grasps only air he silently curses himself.

He had wandered out here without protection, only his hands to wield off the attacks of a Burned One. His eyes dart around trying to find the creature that caused the disturbance. His stance softens when he sees the chipmunk scurry away.

He turns back towards the barrier, he knows it’s unsafe to be out here. Especially without a weapon. 

He is half way back to the barrier, his mind drifting back to Farrah when a sharp pain digs into his right side. He screams out in pain. Before twisting around arms up in a defensive position to go against his attacker. The soldier in his head telling him if it’s a Burned One you are already dead. Hand to hand wasn’t an option.


	8. the messed up truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farrah faces Andreas.  
> Andreas is convinced Farrah remembers and attempts to remind her why they are a good idea.  
> They are interrupted by the situation in the woods.

After Farrah’s headache is just a dull thud in the back of her head, she gets ready to meet with Andreas. She knows he will be in the greenhouse. It’s Saturday and they always hang around as Ben tends his plants, even brewing a potion or two.

She grabs her favorite coat, it’s long and black. It had always felt like an extra price of armor against the world, helping to invade her from any stares or unwanted attention.

Samara and Rose had given her about fifty pep talks before they headed out. Rose to meet Ben in the greenhouse, promising to keep on eye on her conversation with Andreas. And Samara off to talk with Rosalind about the expectations in her ancient runes class, saying she felt the curriculum was to intense for first years.

The air is crisp as Farrah makes her way across the grounds. Her face is set perfectly, she allows the pain from her hangover to be visible. Make it ever so more believable she has no memory after taking six shots.

Andreas grins when she walks into the greenhouse. He watches her as she walks over to greet Ben, wincing as he talks to her.

“You alright Farrah,” Ben asks.

“Hung over,” she says shortly. “Don’t remember a thing from last night.” She can see Rose intensely watching Andreas.

Bens face falls, “that’s something as we have a bit of a tangle about what happened.”

Rose shoots him a glare, telling him to shut his mouth silently.

“Just thought you’d want to know something happened that made Saul rather upset. Stormed out of here like his life depended on being away. Even left my soil unturned.”

Rose whacks him in the head, “last I heard Farrah’s business wasn’t yours.”

“Shhh,” he scolds the earth fairy. Turning back to Farrah he whispers, “look I know what happened might have been alcohol induced. But ignoring it won’t make it go away. They’ve been fighting like dogs and ‘this’ might make it worse.”

Farrah frowns, Ben was right as usual. Pretending to have no recollection of the night before would only make things worse. “I just need time, Ben. Just a day or so.” She whispers. Knowing if Andreas wanted to eavesdrop he wouldn’t really have to try.

She gives her oldest friend a peck on the cheek, before turning to face Andreas. Her chest constricts at the smile he gives her, he seems happy. Over joyed. She takes a step forward giving him a gentle smile, knowing she was about to knock his off his face.

“Andreas,” she greets sitting across from him.

“How do you feel Farrah? You look tired,” his voice is low. Keeping it between them.

“My head is buzzing. Sadly I don’t remember anything that happened after Luna critiqued my weight.” She waves a hand in the air like it’s nothing.

“Ahhhh,” he says eyes twinkling. “That’s a pity. It was really such a nice night. A very beautiful sight, you let yourself loose. Wild even.” He says, watching every micro expression on her face. She kicks herself mentally, he’s a soldier and a king of course he knows she’s lying. He was brought up to understand people.

“It must have been something,” she says. Eyes looking through the greenhouse walls.

“Where is Saul?” She knows the mention of the other mans name will distract him from his analysis of her.

His face falls, his eyes rest on the necklace around her throat. “He went off towards his cabin. We can go get him if you want.” His voice is flat, the same tone he uses when talking with Rosalind. It makes her look deep into his eyes, attempting to use her powers to see what he is masking. He just gives her a small smile before standing up and offering her his hand.

She takes a deep breath, clasping their hands together so he can help pull her up. Rose raises a questioning eyebrow, Farrah just gives her a soft smile. “We are off to find Saul. Let him know that the soil needs turning over.”

Ben gives her a sad smile, “just let him know it’s okay if he can’t.”

Andreas feels it clutch around his heart. She is pretending to not remember. He can see it in her eyes, she regrets giving in to him. It hurts more than he thought it would. She was supposed to be his queen. No one else matched her power, Rosalind had told him she had more magical ability than any fairy in a long time. He needed her for his own. Together they would make Erakylon the strongest if had ever been. But for some reason she kept going back to Saul, whether it was her eyes or her hands around that blasted necklace.

He had to reign himself in on multiple occasions not to pull the chain from around her neck. A constant reminder she wasn’t his, not just yet.

They walk slowly towards his cabin. The silence hanging in the air around them.

“Do you want to know what happened?” He asks.

“Not if it’s something you wouldn’t tell the first years,” she quips. He smirks, she is smart. Always ready on the fly to redirect or distract when something she doesn’t want to address comes up.

“I can show you,” he says grabbing her hand and pulling her up against his body. A shocked gasp escapes her mouth.

“Andreas,” she scolds.

He starts placing kisses on her neck, his hands sliding down her waist to grip her ass. “It went something like this.”

She squirms, attempting to get out of his embrace. “Stop.” She says, he hums into her neck, pulling her closer to him. He rocks his hips into hers, his erection growing.

“Andreas,” her eyes flash white a threat to use her powers if he doesn’t stop. “No,” her powers being activated made her catch onto the anguished scream of a near by mind. Her side seats with pain, and her mind feels numb. Her head aches.

A scream escapes her throat, causing Andreas to jump back. She clutches her side, panic in her eyes. “Saul,” she pants. “He’s hurt.”

“Where?” Andreas asks hands going to the knife kept in his boots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys would like to see anything feel free to ask!


	9. we all cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saul faces off with a burned one.  
> Farrah and Andreas rush to help him.

Saul turns around, his hands up in a defensive position. The Burned One is thrashing against the vines that had undoubtedly ripped it away from his body. His eyes fall on the earth fairy, sweat is building on her brow as she uses her magic to keep the creature at bay.

He scans around the ground looking for anything he can use as a weapon. His hands finding a thick branch, it’s about the length and heaviness of a long sword. Hopefully it won’t snap if he has to use it.

His feet carry him to stand in front of the earth fairy. His arms bracing to protect her from the Burned One. “Claire, how long can you hold it?” His voice is steady.

“I don’t know,” she grits out. “Not long.”

“Stay behind me, and walk slowly towards the barrier. If it gets loose and starts at me, run. Tell me you’ll run.”

“I’ll run,” she says her voice weak.

He can feel her inching back towards the barrier its three yards away from where they stand. He follows her slowly never taking his eyes off the creature.

Claire let’s out a shout as her vines drop down around the creature. “Silva!” 

“Run.” He grits his teeth, setting his feet as the creature goes for him. He uses the stick as a staff, bracing it between his two hands. It intercepts the creatures arms, he pushes the creature back. The one movement takes all his energy.

It claws at him again, lunging forward. He knocks its hand away with the staff. Its mouth digging into his shoulder. He screams out in pain, the creature ripping its mouth away.

Farrah is running towards the woods, close on Andreas’s heels. Her eyes widen as Claire runs out of the woods, tears streaming down her face. “It’s got him! Please help! Please!” She’s practically falling over herself making her way to the teachers. 

“Go get Ben,” Farrah says grabbing her shoulders to hold her up. “He’ll get zanbaq ready.”

The earth fairy nods, her eyes calming down at Farrah’s touch. She releases her student, “go.”

She takes off down the hill after Andreas. Almost tumbling over her feet in the process. Andreas is armed with only a knife, he will need her magic to keep the creature at bay.

Andreas is through the barrier in a moment, his eyes assessing Saul’s predicament. He’s armed only with a branch, the creature has gauged a chunk from his shoulder. If they don’t kill it an infection will set in.

He comes up behind it, the creature swiveling its head between the two soldiers. Trying to decide who to lunge at. Saul is prepped. He is able to get a new defense stance in from the distraction Andreas provided. He’s wounded, if they creature charges him again his shoulder will undoubtedly give out.

Andreas sets his shoulders, charging it. He knows it’s a stupid choice. A knife against a Burned One. But Saul won’t be able to hold it off long, and he isn’t wounded.

He drives his knife into its ribs, pulling it out and twisting away. Saul uses the stick to intercept its claws as it tries to catch Andreas’s side.

He can all but feel her presence as she comes through the barrier. Her rage projecting off her in waves.

Her eyes flash lifting the creature into the air. Her powers finding its cinder, pulling it out. It’s a slow excruciating process. Everything in the creature fighting back against her actions. It’s glowing center slowly pulling through its skin.

Farrah falls onto her knees, her magic exhausting her. Sweat gathering on her forehead. Both specialists stay around the creature angling towards her to watch from the corner of their eyes. The cinder breaks through and is extinguished by the surrounding air. Farrah’s eyes return to normal as the creature falls to the ground.

In a moment Saul is kneeled by her pulling her into his lap. “Farrah,” he whispers. “Are you okay?”

Andreas kicks the creature to make sure it’s out. “Let’s get her to the other side of the barrier. Ben should be here soon.”

Saul nods, standing up holding her in his arms. Her eyes flutter, “Saul, I can walk.”

“This is faster,” he says wincing as her weight pulls at his wounded shoulder.

“Here,” Andreas says holding his arms out. “I can carry her.”

Saul’s eyes are sad, he gives her one last look before nodding and shuffling her into his friends arms. Farrah’s skin crawls at the contact, remembering how he had held her against him not letting her go.

“Sorry,” he grumbles down at her. “He’s hurt. And wouldn’t let you stumble about.”

It’s like he knows her thoughts, knows she doesn’t fully trust him anymore. She nods tightly, watching as Saul stumbles through the barrier. Ben and Rose running up to him, Clair shadowing behind them.


	10. product of a system

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rose patch up Saul’s wounds.  
> Andreas apologizes to Saul and most importantly Farrah.  
> Claire starts to work on something new.  
> The teachers gather a squad to reinforce the barrier.

The wounds aren’t terribly deep, it’s a relief to see Ben easily cleaning them up. Saul winces as he yanks the last chunk of Burned One from his shoulder. He can feel Farrah and Claire’s eyes digging into him. While Rose is ripping the bandages off to wrap around once Ben is ready. Andreas is at the barrier, eyes scanning the woods. As if he is waiting for another creature to appear.

“Any signs?” Saul calls out to his friend. Turning slightly to get a better view, earning him a whack in the head from Rose.

“Sorry,” she mumbles when he winces. 

“Nah,” he says. “All good Rose.”

Andreas walks up to where Saul is sat in the grass, kneeling down to eye level. “I don’t see any signs. But with a sighting this close we will want to do a perimeter check. Tonight when they are more active.”

Saul nods, “I’ll tell Rosalind once Ben is done.” His eyes scan over to Claire, she is watching with wide blue eyes. He motions her closer, locking eyes with Farrah.

Farrah wraps her arm through the frightened teens leading her towards Saul. “What were you doing outside the barrier?” His voice is soft.

“I saw you walk into the woods. I wanted to apologize.” Her voice is small, she must be tired from all the magic she used to subdue the Burned One.

“No need, you saved my life out there. Ripping it away when it caught me off guard. That was brave.” He gives her a soft smile, “you are a good fairy. I’ll put in a good word with the headmistress.” He locks eyes with her, “if you promise to leave your crush out of our interactions.”

She gulps, “I don’t think I can. I’m in deeper than I thought.” Her voice shakes a little, “if I stop who knows what could happen.”

Farrah puts a hand on the girls shoulder, “we can keep you safe if you are scared of retaliation.”

Claire shakes her head, “it’s not that. My dad told me to always follow my heart, and you made me run back there. Protected me, even if it meant dying.”

Saul sighs, “Claire I would have done that for any student. It’s my job.” His tone has turned harsh.

She shakes her head, “I won’t jump you or anything. But I’m still in love.”

“Rose can you take Claire back to her rooms?” Farrah asks. Taking the bandages from her friends hands.

She kneels down next to him. Ben pulls away, “there you are. Bandage him up Farrah and he’ll be set.” He stands up gathering his tools, “I’ll leave the three of you to talk.”

Farrah gives him a tight smile as he walks away. Not far behind his girlfriend and the teen girl.

She begins applying gauge to the wound on his shoulder steadily wrapping the wound.

Andreas clears his throat, “I owe you both an apology. I assumed something different from the events of last night.” His eyes are locked on Farrah’s. “And it’s clear now that they might not have meant what I originally thought.”

Saul’s brows furrowed, “you guys aren’t together?”

“We didn’t get the chance to discuss anything... official.” Andreas concludes.

Farrah nails him with a small glare, “what he is trying to say is nothing has changed. And we need to have a talk. But I think it’s hardly appropriate to have it with Saul here.” She tugs the bandage tight to emphasize her point. Saul takes a sharp intake of breath, his hand resting over hers.

“Farrah,” his voice is low, “chill.”

“Sorry,” she mumbles. Her face turning red when she realizes how close she is to him. Heat radiating from his bare chest, his hand keeping hers pinned to his shoulder. “You should put your shirt on.” She chokes it out, pulling her hand away from his.

She stands up meeting both specialists eyes with a hard glare. “We’ll get a move on. Rosalind needs to be informed and so do the specialists you are gathering. I’ll get changed and talk to Samara.” With that she spins on her heel trudging up the hill. It’s steeper than she remembers.

Saul watches as she leaves, grabbing the remaining taters of his shirt and pulling it over his head. Andreas offers him a hand pulling him to stand next to him.

“She is a feisty one,” his eyes are fixed on Farrah as she leaves.

Saul nods, “what exactly happened between you two? She doesn’t seem happy.”

“I forgot to mention the amount of alcohol involved with our decision making,” Andreas says. “But don’t think her being upset is going to put me off my game. It’s still on till she makes a final choice.”

“Me or you,” Saul says voice right as he begins to walk up the hill. “Let’s hope Rosalind won’t skewer me for being out and about.”

Her feet carry her swiftly down the corridor. Claire was smart, one of the first things most people knew about her. She knew how to lie, manipulate and generally get what she wanted. In this case it was a confirmed slot in Rosalind’s forces. What the students were referring to her hand selected few who stayed at her side. The side note to this was she also wanted Silva, something promised to her by the person she worked for. He would cave. Something about him not having attention for seven years.

Claire knew that Silva was too smart to fall for her lip wobble, followed by the nonsense of following her heart. So she had to make her move, make him fall for her. But that took understanding what he wanted.

Which judging from the look he gave Dowling was somewhere along the lines of soft and gullible. 

She was prepared to sneak around as soon as their squad made their rounds. The teachers were to scout the woods around the barrier for anymore Burned Ones. 

Claire had never taken kindly to anyone interrupting her plans, which is why she was glad they killed that creature. She had him right where she wanted him. Upset, wandering alone. With the information she had from her employer she could have gotten him to crack. Been his friend. And all her dreams would come true.

She opens her phone, staring down at the image on her screen. Andreas is pinning Dowling to the wall, her skirts pulled up past her hips. It would be enough to break the strongest man, the woman he’s after with his best friend.

Now she just needs to get a students phone, send it to him at the right time. She smirks when her eyes land on her target. A mind fairy, smoking a joint. Lazily propped up against the corridors wall, watching birds fly past the windows.

Rosalind doesn’t even look up when Saul opens the door. “We need to talk,” he is short of breath.

She glances up, eyes taking in his disheveled appearance. “Did you wrestle a tree?” Her tone is both sharp and flat.

“Burned One attack. Right outside the barrier,” he crosses his arms over his chest. Standing as still as he can to avoid any critique.

“I’m assuming you are gathering a search party,” it isn’t a question. She seems to be writing a letter, her eyes already leaving Saul’s.

“Andreas is gathering up the best specialists. And Farrah is getting Samara.”

She clicks her tongue, “good.”

He turns to leave his hand on the knob when she speaks again. “Saul, you should really give Farrah some space. She seems worried about you adjusting.”

He’s frozen not quite sure how she means. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good,” she says starting to write again. “We wouldn’t want her distracted from her studies over something so trivial.”

He can feel the stab in his heart, the pain of Farrah’s harsh words. Saying it wasn’t appropriate to have Saul around, not for the discussion of what the two of them would become. He shuts shoves everything down, he is a soldier. One that needs to get his troops ready for battle, students that had only ever gone up against simulations. After Saul had told Rosalind he would not stand for escorting a real Burned One onto campus so they could practice.

He sets his shoulders as he walks back through the halls, a few fairies scattering to get away from him. His intense gaze and the obvious wounds must be scaring them. But he can’t find it in himself to worry about that for the moment.

He has a hunt to go on, with Farrah by his side. It was Rosalind’s greatest mistake or so she claimed. Pairing them up. She always tells him she wished she had paired her with Andreas. Her two favorites. The power squad.

Saul just smirks whenever she says it, knowing there is nothing she can do. They have fought together for seven years, that amount of muscle memory couldn’t be replaced. Farrah would always be his fairy and he her specialist. Even if she picks Andreas he’ll always be there, picking her up.


	11. our eyes still shine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teachers go up against Burned Ones.  
> Farrah and Andreas talk about what they could be.  
> Saul gets himself into more trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So disclaimer Claire accidentally resembles Beatrix some. But through the course of the story we will find her drive is different.   
> If you guys want to see anything feel free to ask, I’ll do my best to fit in requests!

The ground is wet, mud squishing every time anyone takes a step. Making it nigh impossible for them to be stealthy. Saul had planned on slowly skirting through the woods, but once the rain had started falling from the sky it had made it near impossible. Speed would have to be their friend, so they wouldn’t miss anything as their search was being broadcasted into the dim light.

They had organized all of the more weathered teachers as well as the best specialists to create a system. They were planning on going out three miles looking for signs of more creatures. Saul hoped they wouldn’t find any. If they did Rosalind would be relentless, she would become fixated again. It had been months since the last sighting, since they almost lost Farrah to take down ten Burned Ones.

Andreas is on his left flank, Aera on his right. She is a skilled specialist who teaches advanced potions. She had confided in Saul that she liked poisons when she was growing up. Her family was of Korean nobility in the first world. Making her stand out in more than one way in their staff. Her dark almond shaped eyes are trained out in the dark as she motions for them to stop. Saul signals behind himself for Farrah to try her newest trick.

She squints eyes flashing white, amplifying the sounds of the trees around them in the specialists head. She had told him your senses pass through the mind, I can filter them if you let me. Something he had seen the combat use of, while Andreas was appalled at the idea of her messing with his ability.

He hears what had alerted the other specialists, the squealching of feet in the dirt. It belongs to someone outside of their group, something heavier than a full grown man.

He curses in his head, Farrah swatting his shoulder. It means there are more of them. They will have to take them all out, the next week at least will bring their group into these woods. Searching and hunting, until it’s safe again.

Aera motions to Saul, her and the air fairy she is partnered to will go first. Him and Farrah will come up behind and together they will take it out. He gives her a tight nod. Motioning to Andreas to continue on. Another mile left on their trek.

The woman specialist is deft with her blade, she duel wields it along with a slim dagger. He had watched her kill a Burned One all by herself once. After her fairy was knocked unconscious by the creature. She has severed it head with her dagger, something that terrifies him when he thinks back on it.

Farrah splays a hand across his back as they walk slowly around the trees. Encircling the creature between them and Aera.

She uses the contact to project positivity and root her self in his calmness. Something they had done a hundred times over. Her heart was racing and just the touch of him steadied her, reminding her she had him.

He pulled her along with him, his hand slotted into hers. As they made their way through the trees, he can see Aera waiting for them to be lined up. Her air fairy using their abilities to keep it from smelling them. If it does it will charge and make their jobs harder.

He gives her a brief motion when they have the creature sandwiched between them. His sword drawn and ready. Aera nods before charging her boots squaelching in the mud. Saul makes a move towards the creature, as Farrah uses her magic to rip it back towards him when it charges Aera. The air fairy knocking its claws away from Aera’s face. 

Saul drives his sword through its chest, the core around its cinder deflecting the blade so it enters at an angle. It seats around its body either to get him or remove the sword. While Aera plunges her dagger into its neck. It’s claws flail wildly about, scratching Saul’s arms and Aeras side.

He hisses in pain. Pulling his sword out to slice at its hands.

The air fairy sends a volt of lightening through the creature as Aera sends her sword up through its stomach, piercing through its cinder.

The light fades from its center as it crumbles into her sword. Saul grasps the creatures body pulling it up and away from the other specialist.

“Well, that was fun.” Aera smirks hands checking the wounds in her side. “Thing can’t even claw deep.”

Saul nods, “let’s go find the others.”

He turns to meet Farrah’s eyes in the dark, offering her a weak smile.

Farrah is walking close beside Saul as they walk back through the barrier. His face and hands are smeared with mud. She is glad the rain had stopped after the first Burned One they had taken out.

There had been four. Andreas had taken out two. Aera and Saul worked together twice. Students jumping in and offering help when needed.

She was just glad to find they had clawed up the specialists and Rose had a ugly gash on her arm. But after that it was barely anything. No one was severely hurt, nothing deep. Nothing fatal.

The students and teachers make their way to the greenhouse, even the unknicked ones having to pass the Ben test before heading to bed.

He dismisses most of the students after cleaning a few cuts, only one having been close enough for a gash. Three stitches later, only the teachers were left.

Saul had cleaned himself up in the greenhouse sink, no more mud except on his boots and shirt. Andreas had barely gathered any on himself even with taking out two burned ones. No mud had made it above Farrah’s ankles as she had been fighting from a distance. A luxury of having such good specialists to fight alongside.

Aera as always looked like she had walked out of a magazine for women fighters. Even with claw marks running up her side she looked good. Something Farrah had been jealous of in school.

Andreas gives Farrah a smile, while Ben attends Saul’s scratches. He had went last since his weren’t deep and he had cleaned them some himself.

“I know you might not want to talk with me, but I thought tomorrow would be a good day to discuss.” He stops, pursing his lips. “Whatever this is.” Andreas puts emphasis on this. Like Farrah doesn’t know the complications.

“Tonight would be better,” she watches as Ben nods for Saul to pull his shirt down. “After everyone else heads out.”

He nods tightly catching on to the strain in her voice.

Saul makes his way to her, “Farrah.”

She smiles at him, pulling him into a loose hug so not to hurt his wounds. “You going to be alright?”

He nods resting his chin on top of her head, “it’s been a long day.”

“Tomorrow is the only day of solitude before classes,” she reminds him. Hoping he will ask to see her, she needs to talk with him too.

“Maybe we can meet sometime. Figure out how to handle Claire.” He mumbles it so no one else hears. Farrah nods holding him a little closer, she craves the warm feeling he gives her. He feels like safety. Maybe it was fighting with him for almost eight years, or just the way he protected everyone but she craved that feeling. 

Andreas clears his throat, “I’ll be headed out soon. Wash up and get some sleep.”

Saul nods pulling away, “I’ve got to head back to the cabin. See you all tomorrow.”

He gives everyone gathered a tight smile, his eyes lingering on Farrah before he finally walks out.

“Well that’s a night for me too,” Rose exclaims after catching Farrah’s eyes. She grabs Bens arm dragging him after her. His muttering complaints high pitched as she all but runs out the door. 

Leaving Farrah alone with him. For the first time after he broke her trust.

“This,” she starts motioning between them anger in her voice. “Is broken.”

His face falls, “I’m sorry Farrah. I thought if you remembered you would see what we could be. I didn’t think. I just assumed it would feel the same to you.”

She shakes her head, “I said to stop. I was terrified! How far would you have gone?” Her voice is filled with as much self hatred as disgust.

He frowns head bowed, “Farrah I am sorry. I thought Saul was making you hold back from me. That you were scared to hurt his feelings. So I tried to remind you what ‘we’ could be like. I’m selfish I know. But I can’t control myself when he touches you or looks at you I feel poison run through my veins. I want you Farrah, I want you to be mine.” His eyes meet her at that, something foreign swimming in them.

“I know I broke tour trust. But I care for you, deeply. Give me a chance?”

She can feel her heartbeat throbbing in her chest, like it’s trying to break free. She can’t imagine building something with Andreas, not after what happened. But she also can’t help the tiny what if’s floating in her head. This was the closest she had ever been to receiving a declaration of love. Did she not also get a sinking feeling in her stomach whenever Luna’s eyes or hands explored Andreas? Could she be masking feelings for this man?

“If anything came from whatever we have it would be a gruesome thing. I don’t trust you,” her voice is low. Her lip quivers, “my skin is crawling. I’m on high alert. My body thinks it’s under attack when you get close to me. How could this turn into something else? You breached what trust I had for you.”

He gulps, “let me try. I can build it back. Please Farrah. Give me time before you choose him. I need you, more than he does.”

Her face falls, his eyes are pained and desperate. She kicks herself mentally, she wasn’t prepared for this. Hadn’t been in a relationship for almost a decade. Her mother hadn’t prepared her for Andreas, not for when a man doesn’t treat you with respect. Probably because her dad was so perfect. Never lifted a finger against a fly.

“We’ll see,” she says. A tear sliding down her face as she leaves the greenhouse.

She had watched through the window as Saul made his way back to his cabin. The other teachers slowly filtering out of the greenhouse. Her plan was in motion, she clicked send and deleted the contact from the phone. Slipping it back into the mind fairy’s bag.

“I best head off,” she said smirking as he took another poof of his joint.

“Alright love,” his eyes already back out the window. He was so fried he wouldn’t remember ever meeting her, nevertheless lending her his phone.

She’s at the cabin in mere moments, a bottle of whisky in her left hand. Her right holding her phone the chat open. She gives the door two soft knocks, hearing as soft foot falls head towards the door. 

He is covered in droplets of water, presumably from just getting out of the shower. His feet are bare, a grey Cotten tee and pajama pants that hang low on his hips.

Claire sucks in a breath, “I thought you might need a friend.”

“Claire,” he warns voice sharp.

“Look I don’t want to jump you or anything.” She makes her eyes go wide, “it’s just you saved me and have always been nice. So I thought I could return the favor. I can’t even imagine how much it must suck. I get the unrequited feelings but but not the best friend but.”

“What are you talking about?” He asks running a hand over his face.

“You don’t know?” Her voice is laced with concern. “It’s going all over the school.” 

He steps aside motioning her in, “what is?”

She gulps, “I just wanted to be here for you since you took me being all over you well.” She says handing him her phone. “I don’t know who started it, or even who took it.”

His eyes widen at the image on her screen, Andreas and Farrah’s bodies unbelievably close.

His stomach drops, everything around him goes dull. “Oh,” is all he says before slowly sitting down on his coach.

Claire rests a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He shakes his head, “that seems inappropriate.”

“So yea or whiskey?” She asks holding up the bottle. “I came prepared.”

He gulps, throat dry. “One glass.” He can feel his world spinning, hoping the alcohol will numb his mind. “But you have to go after.”

Claire nods, “I know. I just understand how much it stings. Sometimes numbing it works the best.

Saul knows it’s a bad idea, but he rationalizes that one drink won’t hurt. It’ll focus him on something new, and he will be able to forget the look of Farrah’s smooth thighs hitched tightly around Andreas. He just needs it to be fuzzy.

She pours the amber liquid into his glass, she seems to have reverted back to the soft smiling girl he had first met. It puts him at ease.

He downs the whiskey in one gulp, headed tilted back.

“You should head off Claire,” he says. The taste reminding him he is an adult not a teen anymore.

She smiles, “yes Mr. Silva. In just a second.”

Her face goes fuzzy and his eyelids droop. He feels himself begin to collapse into the coach. Unconsciousness taking over.

Claire smirks as he slumps down into the coach. She takes the glass from his hand and rests it on the table. In a moment she sets to work.

She empties most of the whiskey into the sink before returning it to the coffee table. Her hands finding Silva’s phone in his pockets. She sends a text message to Aera, before tossing it on the ground.

She smiles, “now for the fun.”

She readjusts him on the couch, laying him on his side. She leans down to lick a strip up his neck, stopping to suck hickeys up his neck. Marking him. She pulls his shirt off tossing it over the back of the couch before sucking more hickeys down his collar bone, stopping to bite his shoulder.

The space between her legs has heated up from the taste of his skin. She pushes that to the side, she has work to do. The sooner it’s done the sooner he can be hers.

Her mouth finds his, biting down hard on his lip till she tastes the iron of his blood. She pulls away at that, “now for me.”

She stands up, ripping her plaid shirt off her body. Making sure the buttons pop off. She drops it to the floor, before kicking her pants off. She moves back over to slide Silva’s sleep pants down his body, leaving him fully naked. She takes a moment to take him in, before discarding her bra and panties on the coffee table. Making sure they were visible if someone walked in.

She sends a text from her phone before deleting it, saying the job was done. Before crawling into the couch next to him, pulling a blanket from the headrest down on top of them. She adjust so he is invading her in his arms, pressed firmly against her side. The bruises she had made along her hips throb against his hips. A believable lie. She closes her eyes to drift off to sleep, the plan wouldn’t be in affect till morning.


	12. world that never listens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farrah learns about the picture being sent around the school.  
> Saul wakes up to something he can’t begin to imagine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So small update, sorry I’ve been busy. Just started a new job and all.  
> If you guys want to see anything happen in this story or a different story altogether feel free to ask!

Farrah wakes up to her phone ringing. She answers it, staying wrapped in her blankets. “Hi,” her voice is raspy from sleep.

“Have you seen the photo? It’s everywhere!” Rose’s high pitched voice makes Farrah sit up in bed.

“What photo?” Her heart had started pounding adrenaline running through her veins.

“Of you and Andreas. Students have seen it,” her friends voice is panicked. “Rosalind is trying to put a stop to the circulation.”

“What!?” Farrah asks, her eyes still blurry from sleep as she stumbles out of bed. Starting to get ready, she’ll have to head towards the greenhouse.

“I sent it to you,” Rose sounds exasperated. “Give it a look.”

“I’ll be at the greenhouse soon,” Farrah says before hanging up. She glances down at her phone, text message after text message had been sent. Samara, Aera, Rose, and Ben had been trying to reach her in her sleep.

A gasp escapes her lips when she pulls up the image Rose had sent. This was bad.

Now what would Saul think, she had wondered why he was her only friend not reaching out. A new text message from Aera flashes on her screen.  
‘Emergency’

Farrah types out fast, ‘what is it?’  
‘Saul texted he’s upset, something about Claire’  
‘Is he ok?’  
‘Idk could you check on him? Idk where his spare key is’

Farrah gulps, could she face him. He had to have seen the picture by now. He had to hate her, it was the only explanation. He was always the fastest of their group to react to anything. Always trying to protect everyone. But apparently he was taking this hard, and Claire was bugging him again.

She sets her shoulders. Saul would be there for her even during the most terrifying moments of his life. It’s time she returned the favor. Checked up on him in the midst of her own struggle. Anyways it would be a distraction from her own problems.

After pulling her coat on she heads out, practically running through the halls. She makes a record before she arrives at his cabin. Fishing the key out of her coat jacket, the spare he had given her, she unlocks the door. The light is still on, the key drops from her hand at the sight before her.

Saul is wrapped around Claire on the couch. A small blanket covers them, clothes are strewn everywhere. She is frozen from shock, her hand clasped tight over her mouth. Saul wouldn’t sleep with Claire. But the evidence is strewn everywhere, from the empty whiskey bottle to the hickeys turning bright red on his neck.

Claire stirs, startling Farrah into action. She closes the door quickly behind her. Pressing her body weight up against it. At a loss of what to do next, she needed Saul. He always knew what to do next, if he didn’t he could rationalize himself to a conclusion. 

So that’s what she’ll do, wake him up. Her eyes flash white, searching through his head to wake him up. What she sees makes her stop, waking people up is like flipping a switch. Or that was the best way to explain it. But something was off, she flipped it and nothing clicked. The lights stayed out. She furrows her brows digging deeper, shuffling through his head. The feel of his consciousness is far away, floating in the back of his head. She uses her powers to coax him towards herself, pulling ever so gently.

His eyes snap open. It feels like an electric shock ran through his body. He can feel something soft and warm against him. His eyes catch the face of the earth fairy beneath him. He jumps up and away, his head ringing even more than before.

His heart is causing a racket in his chest.

“Saul,” he hears Farrah choke out. “Breathe.”

It’s a command. Reminding him to stop holding his breath.

The blanket he had knocked down glides up and over Claire’s body keeping her covered. Saul’s sleep pants falling into his lap. Without thought he wordlessly slips them on.

“What happened,” he mutters. Running a hand through his hair. “Farrah,” he turns to look at the woman. She has tears in her eyes and looks more frightened than he has seen her in about a decade. Her face more pale than when she was bleeding out in his arms.

“Saul what have you done?” It’s barely a whisper, escaping her lips. She seems to regret it, like the words had made it real.

“Nothing, I swear. I couldn’t have.” He glances around the room, all evidence points to the contrary. He can feel the bruises forming on his neck, a sharp pain in his shoulder.

Evidence strewn all across the room.

“Farrah, I swear. I had one glass of whiskey and blacked out.”

Farrah slumps down against the door, a silent sob escaping her lips. The action makes hot tears start falling down her face.

That’s all it takes to spur Saul into action, in a moment he is next to her. Pulling her into his arms. “Farrah, I swear.”

She relaxes in his embrace, using the heel of her hand to wipe away her tears. Stealing herself like she had been trained. The soldier in her coming out.

“If you didn’t do anything there has to be proof.” She all but jumps out of his arms. Scanning the room. He watches her, eyes flashing white she stares down at Claire. Using her magic to look into the girls head. Something easy to do if they are unconscious. Saul watches, hoping she believes him and isn’t just confirming something she already decided on.

A gasp escapes her lips and her knees give out. Saul is right there to catch her as she crumbles to the ground.

“Farrah?”

“Someone put a mental block on her. It kicked me out when I looked at who sent her.” Her eyes are on the whiskey bottle. “She put something in that.”

“So I didn’t do anything?” He asks. The fear had been crippling.

“No Saul. You just drank a glass of whiskey. Albeit with an underaged girl in the middle of the night.” Her tone is hard. But her eyes are soft, “can you tell what’s in it? I’ve made sure she won’t be up till morning.”

The way Farrah could get into people’s heads was scary, something he forgot because of how soft she was. He picks up the bottle taking a quick sniff, it’s sweet sickly so. How he hadn’t noticed was a mystery.

“It’s definitely one of the noctis Ben told us about.” His eyes meet hers, “what could she get from this.”

“I don’t know,” Farrah says biting her lip. “But someone wants to get at you. For what reason I have no clue.”

Saul gulps, “there isn’t one. Not that I’m aware of anyways.”

Farrah grabs his arm all of the sudden, pulling him into her. She is wrapped around him. “Saul, I do t know what to do.”

Her voice is low, sadness weighing her down. He wraps his arms around her, holding her close.

“It’s alright Farrah. We’ll figure this out.”

“She started that pictures rounds,” she mumbles into his chest. He tries to not pay attention to the way her breath tickles his bare skin.

“I’m sorry Farrah,” he rubs circles into her back.

She pulls away from him to look into his eyes. “I’m being selfish. Here you are being framed for raping this girl and I’m complaining that my bad decisions are being broadcasted. At least I got to choose.”

Saul’s hand stops on the small of her back, “why would Claire start the rumor mill? Just to get me to drink the alcohol. Or was there something else to it?” He glances at the earth fairy passed out on his couch. “Who took that picture and how did she get it?”

Farrah’s eyes widen, “Luna.”

Saul looks at her eyebrow raised, “doesn’t she have a realm to rule now?”

“She always hated me,” Farrah says. “Who else would have taken it?”

“What could she gain?” He asks.


	13. forget that we ain’t fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farrah and Saul determine what to do next.  
> Ben and Rose help collect evidence.  
> They start guessing who could be behind all of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, another short chapter.
> 
> If you want to see anything feel free to ask!

“We are going to need Ben and Rose,” Saul says voice heavy. “They’ll be able to isolate what noctis she used, help prove I’d be out after one glass.”

Farrah nods, pulling him closer to her. “They are in the greenhouse waiting for me.”

Saul gives her a sad smile, “sorry Farrah. About everything.”

She just sighs pulling away from him, to call her friends. 

Saul begins to gather the clothing around the room. Folding Claire’s into a pile on the table, and yanking his shirt back on when he finds it behind the couch. He hears her hushed voice whisper to bring everything for a drug and alcohol test. She turns to meet his eyes, her face fallen. Mentioning a rape kit, as a school campus they have a few on hand at all times.

Evidence. It’s something they will need even in the magic realms, Farrah’s words about what she saw in their heads will be the mutterings of his oldest friend.

“I’ll meet the outside. Give them the run down.” She sounds pained, one arm wrapped around herself the other tightly clutching her phone.

Saul nods his head, “should I be in here alone?”

“No.” She looks at the ground. “Contamination of evidence.”

He nods, “I’ll come with.”

She holds her hand out for him to take, before walking out the door him in tow.

She is squeezing his hand tight as Dose and. An come down the hill.

“I was worried,” Rose says. “When you didn’t show.” Her eyes are trained on Farrah.

Everyone’s tones our somber, as they come to a stop next to the cabin.

“What’s going on?” Ben asks, he has his doctors kit the one he uses on long outings against Burned Ones. When he needs all the space he can get.

“Claire showed up,” Saul says his eyes on his shoes.

“We think she drugged him. Tried to make it look like he raped her. I was in both their heads Ben,” the last statement was defensive. A sharp reaction to the looks on their friends faces. He wasn’t just drunk it was something else, and someone sent her. I saw her put something in the whiskey, but she has a mental block keeping me out from the memories of who sent her.”

Ben nods, “this is bad. I’ll see what I can gather.”

He opens the door, “when will she wake up?”

“In a few hours,” Farrah says.

Rose turns to her friends, “are we sure nothing... untoward happened?” Her eyes are on where Farrah and Saul’s bands are clasped.

“Yes,” Farrah says, a finality to her voice.

Rose nods, “I’ll go help Ben.”

Saul pulls Farrah into his arms once the cabins door shuts. “I’m glad you trust me.”

Farrah relaxes in his arms, “of course I do. I know you Saul.”

“The evidence was a lot. And you are in the middle of something.” His voice is sad, self hatred leaking through.

“Hey,” she says looking up into his eyes, fingers stroking his cheek. “I know you. You would never.”

He releases an unsteady breath, “Farrah.” His pupils are blown wide and she can feel the desire rolling off him.

She lifts up on her tip toes and places a chaste kiss to his mouth. “I know you Saul.”

He closes his eyes right as she pulls away, “Farrah... what about Andreas?” It pains him to say, but he knows the complicated waters they are in. He can’t steal his best friends girl, even if he has been pinning for her for eight years.

“Andreas was a mistake,” she says voice hushed. “I don’t know what to do. Just that I can’t stop thinking about you or that I feel safe in your arms.”

He puts a hand under her chin, lifting her face to look back at him. “Well once we figure all of this out... I promise I want nothing more than you.”

Farrah shivers at his words, she had never imagined he had wanted her. It was silly how that had escaped her, as she could feel the heat of his feelings and thoughts flowing off him. She pulls away from him, putting some space between them. “We should go see how it’s coming along.”

Saul nods before opening the door for her. “After you Farrah.”

She pushes all thoughts to the back of her mind, shutting off the connection to his mind. She had dug herself a bigger hole. Now she had to doors open. One to Saul and one to Andreas. Hadn’t the other man just begged her to give him time before running to Saul? She had waited eight years for him to do something. Why had she made the first move only hours after having a spat with Andreas. The man she had slept with the day before.

Rose looks up as they walk in. “Good news, it was a noctis. A strong one at that, he would have been out within two minutes. If not sooner.”

Ben nods, “from the look it’s a more complicated batch. Advanced potions.”

Saul bites his lip, “so any idea where she could have got it?”

“A powerful fairy or someone who knows their brews.” Ben starts packing items into his bag, “for sure someone who has connections.”

Rose crosses her arms, “so the question is what do they want from you Saul?”

He shakes his head slowly, “I can’t imagine I have anything or have done anything to warrant... this.” He waves his hand at the earth fairy peacefully asleep on his couch.

Rose nods her eyebrows still in her hairline. “It must be a plot of some sort. As this could cost you your career. You’re lucky you got Farrah here as soon as you woke up.”

Saul scrunches his face, “no. Farrah woke me up. She made the drug wear off.”

Rose turns expectantly towards the mind fairy. Who is staring at her shoes now, “Aera texted me. Said you sounded upset, asked if I’d come check on you.”

Saul grabs his phone from the coffee table where he had placed it after straightening up the room. Scrolling through all the messages he was getting from his specialists about Andreas.

He clicks open Aera’s conversation, “ah. She must have sent it. It says ‘I don’t know what to think. I might do something stupid, please stop me’.”

Farrah raises her eyebrows at that, “but why send it to Aera? When you are closer to everyone else in our group?”

Saul shrugs, “less direct.”

“Doesn’t she want your job?” Ben asks. He looks sad to share the information. “You had been complaining how she has been pandering Rosalind for it claiming she is more skilled than you.”

Saul scoffs, “even if it’s true do you think she would do all this to get it?”

Farrah purses her lips, “I shared a suite with her. And yes, I think she could.”

At that Claire starts to stir, Farrah’s block on her mind fading as she had gotten more rest.

“Now someone who might answer our questions.” Ben says, pulling a pad of paper out.


End file.
